29 January 2010 11:25

Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand is considering whether to appeal against his four-match suspension for attacking Hull City's Craig Fagan at Old Trafford last weekend.

Ferdinand received the punishment on Thursday after he failed in his bid to overturn a violent conduct charge.

An additional game was added to the automatic three-game suspension for what an FA disciplinary panel deemed to be a 'frivolous' appeal.

Sir Alex Ferguson is not entirely happy with the situation and club officials will now analyse the disciplinary judgement before deciding whether to lodge an appeal.

Although the decision was hardly a surprise as it seemed Ferguson had taken a calculated gamble to lodge an appeal that allowed Ferdinand to face Manchester City in Wednesday's Carling Cup semi-final, the United boss is not entirely happy.

While it would have no effect on the first three games, at Arsenal on Sunday and then the following Premier League matches against Portsmouth and Aston Villa, Manchester United could succeed in overturning the fourth match, at Everton on February 20.

'We have to decide whether to appeal because there are conflicting ways in which these decisions are being viewed,' he said.

'There are conflicting ways in which these decisions are being viewed.

'I watched the game between Leyton Orient and Charlton on Monday and there was an elbow on the Charlton player three times as he was running with the ball. But nothing has happened with that.

'There is a lot of confusion there, although we accept that for tomorrow, Rio is banned.'

Rio's four-feit: United ace Ferdinand hit by extended ban for appeal on elbowCharged Ferdinand was 'wrestled and punched', says Fergie ahead of appealRio Ferdinand cleared to face City as Manchester United star appeals violent conduct chargeMANCHESTER UNITED FC